Niche Environment and Heritage has appointed Rebecca Rowlingson to lead the growing environmental and ecological consulting team in Queensland. As an environmental scientist and program manager, Rebecca draws on over 14 years of professional experience gained in the resources and energy sectors. Rebecca has strong communication skills, allowing her to develop relationships with clients, collaborate…
Due to a strong pipeline of interesting work for great clients, Niche is currently recruiting! We have opportunities for ecologists and environmental consultants in Brisbane, Parramatta and Wollongong. To find out about our current vacancies, meet some of our team, and learn about the great benefits we offer to employees, head over to our Careers…
Ecologists Dr Radika Michniewicz and Jodie Danvers have recorded photographic evidence of the Spotted-tailed Quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) using an underpass in NSW. The Spotted-tailed Quoll is a threatened species and has a vulnerable conservation status in the state. The photo was captured using automated cameras during monitoring for the Pacific Highway Upgrade. “The goal of…
In 2016, South32 implemented Intelligent Land Management (ILM) – a framework for land management designed to transform land holdings or areas being rehabilitated into areas that increase climate resilience and generate shared financial, social and environmental value. After delivering the ILM assessment for South32’s Illawarra Metallurgical Coal operations, Niche partnered with Pershke Consulting to deliver…
Cairo is a botanist and biodiversity offsetting specialist who has been part of Niche’s NSW ecology consulting team for more than three years. Before working as a consultant, Cairo spent 8 years in biological and ecological research within university and private institutions. “Having sampled both consulting and research roles, I found that there’s a wider…
Matthew Richardson, Niche director and botanist, provides an update on the review… Background The Commonwealth Minister for the Environment appointed Professor Graeme Samuel AC to conduct the Independent Review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) in October 2019. In June this year Professor Samuel delivered the interim report and its…
Niche Environment and Heritage Pty Ltd (Niche) are continuing to progress the Biodiversity Consultancy Services component of the NSW Wild Dog Fence Extension Project, with measures put in place to ensure the safety of local landholders, community members and staff. The project, which was a key 2019 election commitment by the NSW Government, will see the NSW Border Wild Dog Fence…
The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) have awarded Niche Environment and Heritage Pty Ltd (Niche) the Inland Rail NSW Biodiversity Offset Site Identification Program. The award of this multi-million dollar works package will result in the Niche biodiversity team working alongside ARTC’s team for several years to identify and assess sites across NSW that may…
Niche Environment and Heritage (Niche) in June 2020 executed a formal Agreement to support the Australian Department of Defence as a member of the Defence Infrastructure Panel – Environment, Heritage and Engineering Services 2020-2025 (DIP.EHE) for an initial five year term. As one of Australia’s largest land managers, Defence is responsible for the management of a large, complex, and diverse estate that has…
In November last year, the NSW Government released the Spot Price Index1 for biodiversity credits created using the BioBanking Assessment Methodology under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act). Whilst this act has now been replaced by the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (BC Act) and the assessment of biodiversity offsets is now determined…
The NSW EPBC Act1 Bilateral Agreement was amended on March 24, 2020 (Amending Agreement No. 1) as a result of both the NSW and Australian Governments’ commitment to: Streamlining environmental assessments and offsets for projects in NSW and Reducing the regulatory burden on proponents of projects in NSW. The amendment has been anticipated for some…
The recent fires across NSW have created challenges for assessors quantifying the impacts of developments on burnt bushland and valuing potential Biodiversity Stewardship Sites. Ecologist and Accredited BAM Assessor Dr Cairo Forrest summarises key points from the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE)’s recently released guidelines for applying the Biodiversity Assessment Methodology (BAM) at…